official crossed playlist!11.22.2011

This is a pretty long playlist because I was writing this book for a year and a half, so I had a lot of time to find good songs. While I don’t listen to music while I’m writing, I do listen to it when I’m editing and often I’ll listen to songs before I start writing to get me in the right mood (and to transition me from mom-of-three-with-messy-house to writer). Most of the time, I find these songs after I’ve written the part in the book to which they connect; in the case of Bruce and Neil they were, of course, known to me before I started writing.

I often thought of this as Ky’s book as I wrote it (though the story certainly belongs to Cassia and Xander too), and I think that is really reflected in the playlist for the book–lots of songs about searching, loving, and becoming.

Anyway. I wanted to wait a little bit so that you had a chance to read the book BEFORE you listened to the songs, as they’ll mean more then…and CROSSED has been out for three weeks…and I can’t wait any longer! And please, if you enjoy these artists’ work, BUY their songs to support the arts and music.

1. Empty by Ray LaMontagne
The melancholy and beauty in this song made this the #1 most-listened to song while I was writing CROSSED.

2. A Dustland Fairytale by The Killers
There’s a such a story in this song, and the chorus is unbelievable.

3. Edwin’s Tale–1862 by Peter Breinholt & Big Parade
The perfect song for Ky as he’s out in the decoy villages, and for anyone left behind.

4. Violet Hill by Coldplay
The mention of snow is especially perfect for the book. It’s what I picture playing in the background during Chapter 3.

5. Blue Lips by Regina Spektor
One of the songs I discovered at the very end of editing CROSSED. I especially like the part where she sings about “all the pictures in his mind” because that’s how Ky thinks. And the blue references throughout the song have a lot of resonance for the color blue, which is emphasized in this novel.

6. Doubting Thomas by Nickel Creek
I’ve always thought of this song particularly as Ky’s song, because it’s hard for him to believe sometimes that someone like Cassia could really love him.

7. The Ghost of Tom Joad by Bruce Springsteen (the version w/o Tom Morello)
This song has haunted me since it was first released back when I was in high school, and it kept coming back to me as I wrote Ky’s journey during CROSSED.

8. Keep Breathing by Ingrid Michaelson
This song felt like what Cassia would be thinking/singing to herself as she searched for Ky.

9. Yazala Ambambuti by Samite
Simply beautiful.

10. If I Should Fall Behind by Bruce Springsteen
This one makes me cry just about every time. You can picture the farmers in CROSSED gathering around a campfire to sing it. (And how great is it that it’s Bruce and his wife singing to each other?)

11. Sinner’s Sonnet by Andrew Whitman
A great song about searching and love.

12. The Climber by Neil Finn
His voice and the words are lovely, but it’s the background that really gets me every time.

13. Captain of a Shipwreck by Neil Diamond
My all-time favorite Neil Diamond song. This song is not just something Ky would sing to Cassia, but I also think of it as a song that Xander would love.

14. Crossfire by Brandon Flowers
For me, this song really fits Chapter 35 and how Ky is feeling then.

15. Set the Fire to the Third Bar by Snow Patrol and Martha Wainwright
Ky and Cassia, maps, poems, trying to find a way to each other in spite of everything. In spite of themselves.

16.In for the Kill by La Roux
How Cassia feels near the end of her book when she makes her decisions about the Rising and about Ky.

17. The Rising by Bruce Springsteen
If you’ve read the book, you’ll know exactly why I picked this song.

18. This Hard Land by Bruce Springsteen
See above.

19. Roll Away Your Stone by Mumford & Sons
A last-minute addition to the playlist, but it’s the perfect Sisyphus stone song. And everything about it fits Ky in this book.

20. Every Time It Rains by Charlotte Martin
There’s a particular scene near the end of CROSSED that this fits, but it also calls back to things that happened in MATCHED and to what will happen in Book 3. It’s the ideal song to end the playlist.

And I often listen to a soundtrack or two as well. This time, it was the soundtrack to HERO by Tan Dun.

Loved the books, when I read Crossed I kept on listening to “IF I DIE YOUNG” by Band Perry, the book included a lot of young children dying and I thought it really fit especially with it saying “make me a rainbow” (referring to Vick)

I’m thrilled that Set Fire to the Third Bar is one of them. That is one of my all time favorite songs, and it’s been playing through as I’ve been reading Crossed. I’m on page 150 or so… I love it so far!

I’m excited to listen to these songs, the ones I don’t know anyhow. And to follow the theme I think the next book should be called Risen but that sounds a like being resurrected…. Or maybe Twisted but those both only make sense if you know my theories about the next book!

Love the playlist…have been listening to them after I finished the book (which was in 2 days, couldn’t put it down). The songs merge well with the words you wrote. Can’t wait for the next book… and I’m sure for the movies to follow. Thank you for writing such an interesting series!

I bought Matched at my schools book fair, and I finished it today and Crossed was advertized at the back of the book so I looked it up and realized that it came out two days ago.Now I’m going crazy trying to find it! Matched was the best book I’ve read the entire year of fifth grade, even though I would have prefered if Xander and Cassia stayed matched and everything is alright to them in the end.So Ally,if you’re listening,good job,but if your third book is your last,please make it to were Cassia and Xander are married and everythings alright for them and they’re one big happy family.

Are you kidding me? That’s just… It doesn’t fit! This whole story is based on the love between Cassia & Ky because they’re “breaking the system”. If Cassie had stayed with Xander, it wouldn’t have been two more books, and the story wouldn’t have been as much interesting.
Just sayin’

AmeeraDecember 3, 2011

So i was listening to the radio, and this song called uprising by the band muse comes on, and IT WAS PERRRFFEECCT!! Some of the lyrics were like we will not force us, they will stop degrading us, they will not controll us, we will be victoriuous, and it was perfect! listen and you will see!

Okay, so I just finished Matched on Saturday, and it was so amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love it so much.
I am going to have to agree with Nellie, Cassia’s love for Ky and his love for her is what makes the story.

Ally, if you think Xander and Ky are equally matched, how are you going to choose one in the end?
I like Ky better. But I love Xander as well.

Hi Ally,
I agree with Nellie, Cassia choosing Ky( the guy she barely knew) over Xander( her best friend and the guy she’s practically known for her entire life). i mean that’s just what makes the story amazing and juicy.

I just finished reading crossed and i have to say it is just amazing, but i feel kind of sad for Ky because he can’t be with Cassia plus they would’ve made a great couple.

I know this doesn’t directly have anything to do with your play-list but there is this games that really struck me as the story of Cassia and Ky. And the music (<–only relation) was perfect. So if you have any time, I highly suggest you play it. The name of it is 'One and One Story' you can play it for free on Kongregate.com. That's all, nice play-list by the way.

i hope that ally condie will write a forth book about cassia and ky:):):):):):):):)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:):):):):):)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:):):):):):):):)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I adore Roll Away Your Stone and Blue is very apt. Thanks for including the vein of color symbolism throughout these books. It’s a nice touch that the effects of the tablets correspond with the mood/covers of the books (at least in a general sense and on a severity scale: green-calming, suppressing the sinister, blue-numbing, slowing down away from society, and red-forgetting/eliminating . . . well, I look forward to seeing how you use that one). I think its details like this combined with the refreshing introspection of Cassia and Ky that makes me prefer your teen romance dystopia compared to a lot of others in the field. The lovers aren’t drowning in their angst, the society is plausible, and things aren’t so black and white . . . done babbling.

I love both of the playlists you created. Every time I read a book I always think of songs to go with them. these are perfect. I just finished reading the books for the second time and i re fell in love with them. i cant wait till reached!